AFTER three games of heartbreaks, Mapua finally found its breakthrough in the NCAA Season 102.
And they have a rookie to thank for that.
Jamal Diaz hit back-to-back three-pointers, including the go-ahead basket with 12 seconds remaining as the Cardinals stunned defending champions San Beda Red Lions, 55-54, on Monday at the Filoil Center in San Juan.
Down by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, the Cardinals hit seven three balls in the fourth quarter but none bigger than the last two Diaz hit to tow his squad to their first win in four tries.
"I told them this is a grinding game. This is a dog fight. This is a defensive battle. Ito naman yun e. I have nine players who are 18 or 19 years old but I told them it's not an excuse. Yes we're a young team but we have to go through these games. We have to learn how to finish games," Mapua head coach Chito Victolero said.
"Simula palang ng season sinabi ko naman sa kanila yan e. Na we will experience tough losses. We might experience great wins which is this one. But we need to be good at this time of the year, and great come November."
It was a promising start for the Cardinals, leading by as many as 12 points early in the second quarter.
However, just like in their previous three games, the Cardinals saw that lead disappear with the Red Lions limiting them to just 13 points combined in the second and third period to take control of the game.
But not for long.
Cy Cuenco sparked a barrage of threes for the Cardinals in the payoff period, scoring 11 points in that stretch to set the stage for Diaz's heroics.
Getting all the attention now from the San Beda defense, Cuenco deferred to his rookie late and Diaz didn't show an ounce of hesitation stepping up to the plate — first by hitting a three-pointer off a Marc Igiliane pass with 54 seconds remaining in the game to trim the Red Lions lead to two, 54-52 before landing the killer blow, a three-pointer over the outstretched arms of John Bonzalida with 12 seconds remaining to push the Cardinals ahead.
Jimmy Reyes had one last attempt to win the game for San Beda but his attempt went long.
"Iniisip ko nalang din yung dalawang laro namin, yung JRU at LPU. Sobrang sakit ng pagkatalo namin dun at gustong gusto namin umangat yung kumpyansa namin kaya naglakas loob lang din ako tumira din. Kung sumablay yun, sorry nalang ako kay coach Chito," Diaz said.
Cuenco led the way for the Cardinals with 19 points on 3-of-5 shooting from downtown while Diaz added eight — all coming from the final three minutes of the game.
Yam Concepcion finished with nine boards, six assists a steal and a block to go along his four points as no other Cardinal breached double digits but they definitely got it done on defense.
The Cardinals held the Red Lions to a paltry 26.2 percent clip from the field including a 19.4 mark from down town.
RC Calimag led the way for the now 2-2 Red Lions with 18 points while Lawrence Hawkins chiupped in 13 points and eight rebounds.
Aldous Torculas, fresh off a season-high 29-point night against JRU, was limited to just 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
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